Automatic switch with membrane



' April 26, 1932. H. R. GUINOT AUTOMATIC swITCH WITH MEMBRANE Filed July 1, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 26, 1932. H. R. sumo-r 1,855,959

' AUTOMATIC SWITCH WITH MEMBRANE Filed July, 1, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I April 26, 1932." R GUENQT 1,855,959

. AUTOMATIC SWITCH WITH MEMBRANE F'iied July'l, 1930 s Sheets-Sheet a Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY RAPHAEL- GUINO'I', or CIEL, NEAR VERDUN-SUR-LE-DOUIBS, FRANCE AUTOMATIC SWITCH WITH MEMBRANE Application filed. July 1, 1930, Serial No. 465,203, and in France January 11, 1980.

The present invention has for its object to provide an improved automatic switch with membrane operation by the pressure of any fluid and more particularly of a liquid.

The said switch comprises, an oscillating member carrying the connecting parts,

mounted on an axis or knife edge and on which is applied an additional force adapted to hold said member in each of the two extreme positions assumed thereby when operated.

To obtain this result a spring bears on a first cup formed in a contact fast on the os cillating member and on a second cup provided at the base of a screw lodged eccentrically in a cylindricalblock carried on a suitable support. The rotation of the cylindrical block has for efl'ect to displace the upper bearing point ofthe spring in relation to the vertical axis on each side of which the oscillating member can then be held.

The oscillating member is actuated by a resilient membrane of rubber, metal, or other suitable material adapted to control the pressure of the fluid. It is directly connected to said membrane by a rod mounted on the oscillatin member through the intermediary of an a justable spring stretched between the checks of a stirrup arranged beneath said '30 member.

Said connecting rod is adjustable in length to permit of rapidly regulating the action of the apparatus y reason of vacuum produced thereby.

The oscillating member can, moreover, be rendered stationary by a locking device which prevents the closing of the circuits.

Finally, the contact members, generally in the pressure or the form of cups containing mercury, are ob- Fig. 3 is a detail section of the same taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4.- is a central sectional view of a modified form of the apparatus providedwith means for holding the oscillating member, taken on the line 44 of Fi 5;

Fig. 5 is a similar View 0? the same taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail plan of the holding or locking fork; A

Fig. 7 is another modified form of the sectional view of an apparatus provided with solid contacts. 5

- My improved switch apparatus comprises a box or casing B to the bottom of which is secured a stirrup C through which passes the axis A for the oscillating member D. This latter carries the contact point P which plunges into the mercury cups G On the oscillating member D the coiled spring R bears, the ends of which rest in the cups of contact E and of the screw V traversing the cylindrical block K which is housed and held in the upper part of the stirrup C.

The spring R is mounted slightly eccentrically and the cup of the screw V likewise presents an eccentric part in such manner as to cause the direction of the eifort of the spring to be in a vertical plane passing through the axis A.

The oscillating member D can swing very easily on said axis A and can only hold its lowered position either on one side or on the other by reason of the action of the spring R.

Under the casing B is cast therewith a shell 0 with which is assembled a second shell 0 The lower shell 0 of the casing has a screw-threaded boss on which is connected an inlet conduit a for fluid of any kind 'such as air, water and so on, under pressure.

Between the two shells O and O is securely held a membrane F of rubber, rubbered canvas, thin metal or any material capable of giving the required resiliency.

At the middle of the membrane F and secured by a locknut t is secured a nut 15. The nut 25 is fitted with a hood t the wings of which serve to support a spring R adapted to equilibriate the pressure of the fluid for a determined value.

In the hood is expanded or flared the lower edge of the rod or tube T connected to the oscillating member D The hood 25 is held on the membrane F by the pressure of the spring Bi and centred by the nut t. The tube T is, by reason of this fact, rendered movable with and by said membrane and can also turn in relation thereto.

According to the nature of the membrane F its movement can take place slowly instead of rapidly as may be desired.

For this reason, the rod or tube T has at its lower extremity a screw-threaded portion which engages a sleeve on (Figs. 2 and 3) an extension or lug of which m is traversed by the spring R The latter is secured by its ends to the sides of the stirrup L provided on the oscillating part D.

It is obvious that by means of this arrangement it is easy to vary the length of the rod T above the membrane F by appropriately screwing the said rod in the sleeve m.

To facilitate its screwing or unscrewing, the rod T has a slit t. permitting the use of a screw-driver for the passage of which an opening 16 is provided in the member D.

By screwing the rod T in the sleeve m the distance between the'membrane and the part D is diminished and consequently the pressure must be stronger to act on the membrane and cause the release of the part D.

On the other hand, the more the rod T is unscrewed from the sleeve m, the longer said rod becomes and the less pressure will be required on the membrane F to actuate the apparatus. I 7

Hence it is easy to provide an exact regulation of the pressure at which the apparatus has to work.

In certain cases it is necessary to be able to throw the apparatus out of action. This result can be obtained in many ways.

By way of simple example, without annecessary limitation, the locking of the apparatus may be effected in the following manner:

On the bottom of the casingB is mounted a screw-threaded rod l by means of nuts Z and Z" (Figs. 4 and 5). a On the rod Z is secured at a suitable height by nuts Z and l a blade Z (Fig. 6) forming a sprin and terminating at its free end in a fork This latter engages appropriately with the rod T and bears under the sleeve m which it can at will hold raised as well as the member .D with which said sleeve is connected by the spring R To bring and secure the fork l in itslocking position an axis 1 is provided, passing on the one hand through the casing 13 and carried on the other hand by a small bearing Z, integral with the bottom of the casing, and

carries a cam Z lifting the said fork or allow ing it to fall back as will be understood.

The operation of the cam Z is effected by a handle Z secured 'fast at the end of the axis 1..

It will be noted that if for any reason the locking of the switch in its open position becomes necessary, it is sufficient to bring, by means of theexternal handle Z the cam Z into the position shown in full lines on Figures 4 and 5.

If however it is desired to free the oscillating member D, the cam Z is placed in the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4.

An inconvenience residing in the above apparatuses results from the use of mercury cups G. The transport of the apparatus is rendered diflicult and emptying of the cups may occur even without their being shaken. 1t suiiices in fact that the points P fall forcibly into the cups G to cause splashing. Moreover the points carry along, in leaving the cups, fine drops the mercury gradually escapes from the cups.

All discharges of the mercury to the outside is avoided by providing on the mercury, a layer of oil, Vaseline, or other fine oil of a thickness of about 5 mm.

Finally, to totally eliminate the use of mercury cups it suffices to use the arrangement of solid contacts such as shown by way of illustration as a simple example, in Figure 7.

In this form of construction the oscillating member D carries parts P insulated from the member D or made of insulating material.

These parts P abut in the two extreme positions of member D against the spring blades Gr in the form of a U and secured to the end of the casing B each by means of a terminal G insulated from the casing B and to which one of the wires 8 of the motor is connected. 1

v The spring blades G. carry the contacts Gr which can each enter with a piston G housed in a contact G and constantly pushed back towards the top by a spring G The contacts Gr. are insulated from the casing B and receive the leads for the electric current.

adhering thereto and hence- The operation it is thought, will be readily understood. As soon as the member D swings upwardly, the spring blades G. are struck violently by the upper part of the members P. This action serves to briskly lift the spring Ill blades G, upwardly and to stop'contact be- .It will be understood that the pistons G could be replaced by blade springs or by other appropriate means.

i In all cases, the pistons or the spring blades must accompany the springs G. in a part of their travel to ensure perfect contact between said parts.

The terminal G could moreover be placed above the springs G and produce the closing of the current only for the displacement of the oscillating member upwardly that is to say in a direction contrary to what has been previously described.

It is obvious that all modifications of shape and detail can be embodied in the apparatuses described by way of simple example within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In an automatic switch, an oscillating member to support one of the contacts of the switch, horizontal pivotal support for said oscillating member, a casing, a membrane therein to be acted upon by a fluid, a rod connected with its one extremity to said membrane, a stirrup arranged beneath said oscillatin member and a spring stretched between the c eeks, of said stirrup, to support the upper extremit of said rod.

In witness whereof I afiix my signature.

7 HENRY RAPHAEL GUINOT. 

